Page 18 of Infatuation

“I’m not sure what we are.”

He nodded. "I had a feeling.” He sighed. "Well, I was hoping that there would be a chance. I knew he was all moony-eyed over some woman when he returned from that wedding.”

She set her elbow on the table then settled her chin on her hand. "I have a feeling you don’t really want achance. And it has nothing to do with me being Mal’s sister or the fact that I am somewhat involved with the other idiot my brother brought home. Sure, you’d flirt with me, have a little romance, even take me to bed. But I have a feeling that you’d be out the door and I would be out of your mind before your next mission.”

His lips twitched. "Well, why do you think that is, Ms. Dupree?”

“I do love a Georgia accent, Mr. Berg.” She took a sip of water. "Well, I think you’re carrying a torch for someone.”

He looked stunned and blinked at her, those ridiculously long eyelashes catching her attention. It was really a shame both of them were tangled up with someone else. He was a delicious man to look at.

His cheeks turned ruddy and she couldn’t believe he was blushing. He cleared his throat. "That’s not true.”

“Aha, I’m right. You’ve been here before, yes?”

He nodded. "On my honeymoon.”

Her heart did that little dance it did at the romance of it. "So walking around here with me has really bugged you, hasn’t it?”

He made a face, and she laughed.

“You still have the hots for your ex?”

He sighed. "God, don’t tell her that. We can’t be together.”

Shannon heard the longing in his voice, and her heart did that little jig again. Who would have thought that the Viking was such a romantic?

“Is she married again?”

“No.”

“Had the change?” she asked.

“What?”

“You know, decided she was really a man instead of a woman?”

“Good God, no.” He shook his head. “And I thought Mal was bad.”

“She’s not in jail, I am assuming. What’s stopping you, SEAL?”

“Just one of those things.”

She shook her head. "It isn’t ‘just one of those things.’ Not if walking around here brought your honeymoon back to you. You still want her. I thought SEALs had more balls than to sit around and say that it isn’t good?”

“We’re not good together.”

She frowned. "The sex is bad?”

“Lord in heaven, you have a mouth on you.”

She laughed again, delighted she’d made him blush. God, was there anything sweeter than a hardened military man who was still in love with his ex-wife? She didn’t think so.

“What I mean is we are...combustible. But not just in the bedroom.”

“Ah, the temperament. Comes with the passion.”

“If I had known I was going to face the inquisition while we were out, I would have made sure to not take the pain pill.”

---